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Component 1: Part 1 UK Politics > Political Parties > Flashcards

Political Parties Flashcards

1
Q

What are the main functions of political parties within a democratic system?

A 
Representation 
Participation (encourage political participation)
Recruiting office holders
Formulating policy 
Providing government 
Educate the public
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2
Q

What legislation was passed in an attempt to make party funding a more democratic feature of the UK political system?

A

Blair- 2000 Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act

  1. An independent electoral commission was set up to supervise party spending on election campaigns
  2. Capped to £30,000/ constituency
  3. Donations of more than £5000 nationally and £1000 to a constituency party must be declared and published
  4. Donations from individuals not on the electoral roll were banned
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3
Q

Arguments for state funding

A

Parties are important for representative democracy
Public funding would remove the great disparity in resources available to different sized parties
If state matched donations by party members it would encourage participation
Curb the possibly corrupt influence of private backers on party policy

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4
Q

Arguments against state funding

A

Greater regulation would be necessary, limiting the independence of parties
It is hard to decide how much support a party should have in order to qualify for funding
Public funding could isolate parties from the wishes of voters

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5
Q

What are some features of political parties?

A
  1. They are organised (hierarchical)
  2. Have policy and a programme (usually backed by an ideology)
  3. Larger parties seek to win gov. office
  4. Work to gain public support for their policies- media and grassroots
  5. They select candidates for election
  6. Have leaders to directly speak for the party
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6
Q

Define aggregation

A

Parties try and represent a range of interests in society to broaden their appeal and win elections eg 2019 Conservatives, 1 mill new homes

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7
Q

Give some examples of ‘single issue pressure parties’

A

Pro-life alliance
Brexit Party
Health Concern

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8
Q

What factors shape party systems?

A

Electoral systems (tactical voting, multi-party, 2 party system etc)
Voting behaviour
Party policies and new parties
Tradition (Lab v Con)
Constitutional framework (devolved elections, pluralism)
Events and circumstances (1979 Lab and economy, 2015 UKIP vote share increase)

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9
Q

List issues in the current UK party system

A
  1. Fragmentation of majority party discipline and devotions in Parliamentary parties since 2010 (Brexit, whips)
  2. New electoral systems (devolved powers)
  3. Declining voter loyalty (dealignment, class)
  4. Cross-cutting issues
  5. Major party polarisation (space in the middle ideologically)
  6. FPTP suggest two party, however London has multi-party and SNP dominates Scotland
  7. Long term decline of traditional major parties
  8. No longer open party system in the UK
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10
Q

Explain party system in the UK from 45-70s

A

Consensus

Shared ideas on the welfare state social reform, Keynesian economics, high public spending, education reform

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11
Q

Explain the party system in the UK from 70s-90s

A

Adversarial
Labour continued Keynesian economics
Con reduced public spending

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12
Q

Explain the party system used in the UK from 2005- 2015

A

New Consensus, included coalition, Big Tent politics, 2 1/2 party system
Lab- more central
Con- more central, middle class increased
Lib Dem- bridged gap

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13
Q

Explain the party system used in the UK from 2019 onwards

A

Adversarial, or becoming multi-party?
Labour (new Left and Future Britain), SNP, Lib Dems, Tory Independent Group, Conservatives (TRG and ERG), UKIP, Brexit party

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14
Q

What 5 factors suggest that there had been an increase in consensus politics up until 2015?

A
  1. Collapse of communists and socialist Govs. in 1990s
  2. Blair and New Labour
  3. Cameron’s Conservatism
  4. Clegg’s Liberalism
  5. The Coalition gov.
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15
Q

What could be used as evidence to suggest there is currently consensus?

A 
Environmental policy
Keeping the NHS
Opposed to Scottish Independence 
British involvement in Afghanistan 
The need to reduce the huge government budget deficit
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16
Q

What could be used as evidence to suggest the UK is currently adversarial?

A
  1. Is NHS reform needed
  2. Crime and the way it is dealt with
  3. Restricting powers of Trade Unions (eg restricting strikes)
  4. Gov. controls on bankers bonuses
17
Q

Describe left- wing ideology

A
  1. Collectivism
  2. Interests of wider community above individual
  3. Benefits should be free and universal
  4. A positive view on human nature
  5. Support equality of outcome, fraternity and freedom
18
Q

Describe right-wing ideology

A
  1. Belief in the importance of the individual and individual choice
  2. Negative view on human nature, individuals are selfish
  3. Opposition to collectivism and ‘big gov.’
  4. Belief that individuals should be left alone to pursue their own life choices as far as possible
  5. The belief that inequality and diff. living standards can be positive forces, creating incentives for individuals
  6. Peace and security of the community is more important than the rights of individuals
19
Q

Describe Conservatism

A

Pragmatic, opposed to radical change, prefer slow considered reform, pessimistic views on human nature

Pro-Union, Pro-monarchy
Against Lords and Electoral reform (against AV)
BoJo- 1 mill new homes
Cameron- Gay marriage

20
Q

Suggest some Conservative positions and policies in recent years

A

British Bill of Rights
Green Conservatism
Decentralisation of power
Divisions over May’s dementia tax and right to buy

21
Q

Give similar views held by the major parties in the 2017 General Election manifestos

A

Build at least 1 million new homes- Con and Lab

Lib Dems also wanted to majorly increase housing

22
Q

Give strongly differing views held by the major parties in the

A

Con- pledge not to raise VAT, raise income tax threshold

Component 1: Part 1 UK Politics (10 decks)

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